Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis was the target of racial slurs on Saturday.

Washington (CNN) – Civil rights icon and veteran Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, said anti-health care bill protesters Saturday repeatedly yelled the "N" word at him as he left a heath care meeting and walked to the Capitol.

"I haven't seen heard anything like this in more than 40 years, maybe 45." Lewis said. "Since the march from Selma to Montgomery really."

"Yeah, but it's okay," Lewis added. "I've faced this before. So, it reminded me of the 60's. There's a lot of downright hate and anger and people are just being downright mean."

The incident was confirmed by Rep. Andre Carson, D-Indiana, who was walking with Lewis at the time. Protesters were yelling, "'kill the bill, kill the bill' and the 'N' word several times," Carson said.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, released a statement late Saturday saying he too was called the "N" word as he walked to the Capitol for a vote and that he was spat on by one protestor who was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police. Cleaver declined to press charges against the man, the statement said.

Protesters also hurled anti-gay comments at Rep. Barney Frank, D-Massachusetts, who is openly gay, as he left the same health care meeting that Lewis attended in a House office building.

A CNN producer overheard the word "faggot" yelled at Frank several times in the lobby of the Longworth building. Frank said he heard someone yell "homo" at him.

"I'm disappointed," Frank said. "There's an unwillingness to be civil."

Frank, who said he rarely hears such slurs anymore, said the health care issue has become "the proxy for a lot of other sentiments. A lot of which are perfectly reasonable but some of which are kind of ugly."

soundoff(303 Responses)

Jacq

This is the republican party I know,this is the Tea party I see the other KKK,I've never seen a person of color at a rally Michael Steel has enough blackness in him not to attend,this is what the republicans stand for,not one anchorman of color has covered it

March 21, 2010 08:12 am at 8:12 am |

Jacq

CNN,ABC,CBS,NBC,and yes FOX wouldn't dare send a person of color to cover these events for fear of their safety you can really see the fear that the republicans feed off of.I wonder if Steel has the guts to go shake a few hands at a rally

March 21, 2010 08:30 am at 8:30 am |

Patti

Disgusting. These TeaParty people are a bunch of violent, anti-American racists. At least they aren't hiding under white hoods anymore.